Typewriting machine



1929- B. C.STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 23, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 15, 1929. B. 'c. STICKNEY I 1,731,444

TYPEWRI'I'ING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y @WJ/ ()ct. 15, 1929. c, s'nc 1,731,444

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Get. 15, 1929 UETED STATES "PATENT oFFi-cr.

BURNHAM o. STICKNEY, or HILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR "r0 UNDEBWOOTD ELLIOTT rrsnnn COMPANY, or NEW YORK, ii.- Y., A conronnrron or naLawAaE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed. September 23, 1926. SerialNo. 137,229.

This invention relates to typewriting machines in which webs, usually fan folded, are typed. These webs are printed with a succession of forms on which the typing is done, and it is customary to employ manifolding material in the form of sheets of carbon, in-

terleaved between the plies of the web, which are stripped or shifted from each typed form to a succeeding form preparatory to typing the latter. I

An object of the invention is to provide means for stripping or shifting the carbons seriatim, whereby said seriatim stripping or shifting may bedone with a single, uninterrupted and facile motion or sweep of the hand applied to said means.

in some of my co-pending applications, of which the application, Serial No. 40,741, filed July 1, 1925, may be referred to as an example, there has been disclosed the feasibility of shifting the carbons seriatim and thereby avoiding the snubbing effect which would be caused if it were attempted to shift the carbons simultaneously while the composite web is looped around the platen. Prior to the inventions disclosed in said co-pending' applications, the practice was to shift all the carbons simultaneously, and to do this it was necessary, in order to avoid the snubbing effect, to raise the platen and thereby straighten the web before the carbons could be shifted. After the carbons were shifted the platen was lowered andrestored to its normal position.

A fan-fold machine in which theplaten is thus raised and lowered is disclosed in the patent to Wernery & Smith, No. 1,132,055, dated March 16, 1915. In such machines, means are provided, and usually made use of, for interleaving say four or more plies of carbon-sheets between the corresponding number of plies of work-sheets, thus forming a composite web that is looped around the typewriter platen. It will be understood that with a web that is looped around the platen, the snubbing action progresses from the outermost carbon-sheet at the platen to the innermost carbon-sheet and arises as said sheets are pulled taut in an attempt to shift them simultaneously. One end of each carbon-sheet is secured to the usual carbon-holding blade, and, for shifting the sheets simulupon a common carrier that is movable to-v ward and away from the platen.

For shifting the carbon-sheets seriatim in order to avoid displacing the platen, it is necessary in mostcases, as shown inthe aforesaid co-pending applications, that each" carhon-sheet with its blade be mounted'on its own carrier or stripper, which mustbe individually movable. As is also set forth'in said co-pending applications, it is possible ,under favorable conditions of carbon-sheet and paper surfaces that the snubbin g effect between two or possibly more adjacent sheets may have a limit that willpermit the simultaneous shifting of two or possibly more carbons without displacing the platen. If,

for example, four sheets of'carbon are used and it is desired and possible to shift two sheets simultaneously, then there might be provided only two individually movable carriers, each of which would carrytwo carbonblades and carbon. In this case it would be only two carriers intsead of four that would be moved seriatim, thus aflording an opportunity to simplify the arrangement of the mechanism. 7

According to the aforesaid co-ponding ap-. plications, the carbon-carriers are'shifted by means of the energy stored in suitably tensioned springs or by individualmovements of the. operators hand, either aided or unaided by such springs. In the present invention, by providing means that enable the carriers to be shifted seriatim by one sweep or even movement of the operator7s hand, there results a considerable saving of labor for the operator, inasmuch as it was necessary heretofore according to said applications for the operator to either tension the retracting springs or to shift the carriers by separate and seriatim movements of either or both hands. It will be apparent also that v the present invention provides that the carriers may be shifted with more smoothly controlled movement thereof than is possible if the carriers are retracted by springs either in the manner shown in my co-pending application, No. 42,382, filed July 9, 1925, or otherwise. As mentioned in said application No. 42,382, all the individually movable carhon-carriers are drawn toward the platen and held, and the carbons are caused to be retracted by withdrawing the latching means. Upon such withdrawal of the latching means all the carbons are subjected to the ull of their carrier-retractin s rin s. As

there is no snubbing effect upon the outer carbon it is retracted first by the pull of its carrier-springs. when fully retracted the outer carbon is not looped around the platen,

at least not to the extent in which it can snub the next inner carbon which thus becomes free to be-retracted by the pull of its carriersprings, and is so retracted. In this manner the carbons are retracted, one after the other,

as the springs of the individual carriers become effective seriatim. If the carbons are withdrawn, either in this manner or otherwise by springs, such withdrawal is liable to be attended by jerking movements of the carboncarriers, particularly if the carbonholding blades have knife edges for severing the folds of the web as the carbons are retracted. The advantages resulting from the hand-controlled movement of the carboncarrier as provided for in the present invention will, therefore, be apparent.

Before the carbons can be shifted, it is necessary that the usual paper-feed-rolls be cast off from the platen by operating the usual means for effecting such withdrawal. A further object of the inventionis to accomplish this by a suitable addition to the mechanism that strips the carbon-sheets, so that the same sweep or movement of the operators hand that effects said stripping is also effective to automatically release the fcedrolls before stripping commences, and to antomatically restore them after the stripping is finished. I W

The invention may be embodied in means wholly supported by the typewriter-carriage and easily attached thereto without making changes in the standard typewriter or its carriage other than the addition of a few screw-holes. As herein shown the invention is illustratively applied to the well-known Underwood typewriter.

In thus applying the invention, there are provided, say, four carbon-carriers to which the carbon-sheets may be attached in the usual manner. The carriers, individually movable, extend lengthwise of the platen and are guided along suitable rails extending upwardly and rearwardly from the carriage in such a way that the web is fed toward or away from the platen in a path correspond .ing to the slope of the usual inclined papershelf at the rear of the platen. As viewed endwise, the usual carbon-carrier blades, to which the carbons are attached, are disposed in echelon arrangement with a corresponding spacing of the carboircarriers along the guide-rails.

F or retracting the carriers seriatim by a single uninterrupted sweep or movement of the hand, there may be provided. a series of cams, preferably one for each carrier, fast ened to a rotatable shaft, and an operating handle for rotating the shaft, each cam having a follower-member preferably in the form of a swingable arm. the moven'ient of each follower-arm to the corresponding carbon-carrier to retract said carrier, there may be provided for each carrier a rock-sh aft parallel thereto and having two relatively long carrier-retracting arms, one at either end of the shaft and fastened thereto. The end portions of said arms may engage the outer endsof said carriers. In the preferred arrangement of the mechanism the rock-shafts are behind the typewritercarriage. The retracting cams and their shaft and operating handle are arranged at the left end of said carriage and somewhat above the body of the carriage. For connecting the rock-shafts to the follower-arms there may be fastened on the end of each rockshaft 'an arm which is joined to the corresponding follower-arm bya simple wire link.

The follower-arms may be pivotally swung 7 upon a rod that is parallel to the cam-shaft.

The cams are disposed around said camshaft, so that their follower-arun-actuating portions or rises displace said followers-arms seriatim, each cam having a rise that in the forward stroke of the aforesaid operating handle causes the cams to push their follower-arn'is away. Terminating each rise is a dwell on the cam which limits the throw thereof and sustains the follower-arm, so that the related carrier or stripper is held until all the strippers are retracted. In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, the cam-shaft does not make a whole revelution and when all the carbons have been retracted .ing arms are in said initial positions, theends For transmitting of their respective carbon-carriers when fully drawn toward the platen just touch the end 5 respect to the platen are defined and limited by said initial positions of said arms.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for varying the extent to which the carbons are to be retracted from said advanced positions. This may be done by varying the swing of the follower-arms. For varying the swing of the follower-arms, the aforesaid rod on which said arms swing may be shifted to cause the cam-engaged por tion of said arms to approach or recede from the center of the cam-shaft. v

The rod upon which the follower-arms are swung may be shiftably supported at its ends by the sides of a U-shaped supporting mem her which also provides bearings for the cam-shaft. To afford a bearing for said ends of the rod, each of said sides may have an arcuate slot, and as the rod is shifted the ends thereof move and are guided in said slots. For shifting said rod, there may be provided at each end thereof a spiral-grooved face cam. The face of each cam may be substantially adjacent the outer surface of the corresponding side of the aforesaid U-shaped portion of the left-hand fixture, so that the cam-groove formed in said face engages "the corresponding end of the rod which protrudes through the slots in said side in order to be thus engaged. For rotating both cams simultaneously, they may be fastened to a shaft mounted between said sides of the fixture. A suitable scale may also be applied to one of the cams, and may cooperate with a suitable pointer, to indicate the extent of carbon-sheet retraction corresponding to clifferent positions of the cams.

For automatically controlling the castingoff and re-engagement of the paper-feed-rolls before and after the carbons are shifted or stripped, an added feed-roll-releasing cam may be provided on the cam-shaft, which may automatically actuate suitable means for effecting said casting-off and re-engagement of said feed-rolls.

In the illustrated form of the invention,

the feed-rolls are of the type shown in United States Patent No. 816,585, issued to E. F. Kunath, dated April 3, 1906. In said patent the feed-rolls are disposed on opposite sides of a common fulcrum-rod, and are mounted in rocker-frames pivoted on said fulcrumrod. The feed-rolls may be simultaneously cast off by rotating a flattened rod. For rotating said rod it has usually at its right end an arm which is connected to the usual finger piece or lever, at the right side of the earriage. When the carbon-retracting operating handle is operated the rod may be automatically rotated to ca st off and re-engage the feed-rolls by means of a suitable link that connects an arm at the other end of the flattened rod to a follower-arm or other shiftable member cooperating with the aforesaid feedroll-releasing cam. Said follower-arm is spring pressed toward the feed-roll-releasing cam. The contour of the feed-roll-releasing cam would be in such angular relation to the carbon-shifting cams that the feed-rolls are released in the forward movement of the cams before the carbon-shifting commences.

It will be understood that the feed-rolls are caused to be automatically re-engaged when the feed-roll-releasing cam is restored to its normal position, and its spring-pressed follower-ar1n assumes a corresponding normal position.

The usual clamping and gaging means shown in my said co-pending application No. 40,741 are provided for gaging and holding the web while the carbons are being retract-ed. Said clamping and gaging means are attached to the usual delivery table that is attached to the typewriter-carriage. After a form has been typed and the carbons have been retracted, the leading edges of the web may be released from said clamp and drawn against the usual severing gage so that said form may be properly positioned for severing it from the web. For severing the form the usual severing knife is provided adjacent to the platenand extending longitudinally thereof.

As previously stated it may be possible under certain conditions to retract two carhon-sheets simultaneously, and it is provided according to the present invention that the carbon-retracting cams may be loosened and turned on their shaft so that when viewed endwise the rises of two or more cams coincide.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the carbon-can "riers frictionally in any desired position along their guide-rails. This is desirable if said guide-rails are inclined as herein shown. because there are no other means for holding said carriers when they are fully retracted. A simple friction-device is therefore pro vided' inthe form of a spring at one or both ends of'ea ch carrier and so disposed thereon that it presses upon the outer portion of the guide rail or rails.

The cams and cam-shaft are arranged so that theyare easily removable. An advantage of this is that the machine may be quickly adapted to many varieties of work by a suitable interchange of cams. For example, if in an unusually large volume of one variety of work the carbon-carriers are moved and retracted relatively short distances, it is desirable forthe sake of efiiciency to use cams having a correspondingly small rise so that every portion of the stroke of the operating handle is used for retracting carbons.

frictionally holding said strippers against said rails are also indicated in this view.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the invention as applied to an Underwood typewriter-carriage, of which only the platen and the rear portion of the carriage-frame are in 'dicated- This view shows the arrangement,

as seen from the front of the typewriter, of the carbon cariers or strippers the guiderails, the stripper-retracting cams, the means whereby said cams retract said strippers, and the supporting fixtures, portions of said fixtures being broken away for the sake of clearness.

-Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the left portion of the typewriter-carriage, and shows particularly the means for casting off the feed-rolls that normally bear on the platen.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing the carbon-retracting cams, and the relation of the follower-arms thereto when the spiral grooved cams for adjusting the throw of said arms have been turned to position the pivot-rod of the follower-arms for a decreased throw of said arms.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation, showing the leading edge of the web clamped against the delivery shelf. The operating handle is shown advanced far enough to have caused the feed-rolLcasting-oif means to operate. At this moment the leading carbon-retracting cam is commencing to swing its follower-arm to commence the retraction of the rearmost carbon-stripper, not shown in this figure.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation with the operating handle moved farther along than in Figure 6, and shows the relation. of the parts at the moment when the same rearmost carbon carrier or stripper has been fully retracted to strip its carbon.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic side elevation, showing the relative positions of the carbons and carbon-holding blades after the carbons have been fully 'etracted. This figure shows the leading edge of the web drawn against the severing gage and also shows the leading form of the web about to be sheared from the main body of the web by means of the usual web-severing knife. The thickness of the web around the platen is shown exaggerated in order to indicate the position of the leading edges of the carbon-sheets. It will be understood that the operating handle (not shown in this View) has been retracted and that the feed-rolls are restored and bear upon the web and aid in holding it while the leading form is being severed therefrom.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the carbon-retracting cams, showing their arrangement for retracting the carbons two by two seriatim, each two carbons being retracted. simultaneously.

In an Underwood standard typewriting machine types 10 strike against the front of a platen 11, which is fastened to an axle 12, journaled in a platen-frame having ends 13. Said ends are joined by a rear paper-shelf 14, which inclines downwardly and forwardly, and curves under and up in front of the platen. The platen-frame is usually shiftable up and down relatively to a letter-feeding carriage 15, which is guided upon tracks 16 and 17 supported by the framework 18 of the typewriter.

A multiple-ply web 19 is led up from a source of supply, and passes forwardly and downwardly over a. cross-rod 20, which is a part of the mechanism in which the invent-ion is embodied. The cross-rod 20 is so positioned that the web is directed toward the platen in an inclined path that conforms to the slope and position of the paper-shelf 14, as shown in Figure 1. Before the web is led around the platen it is loaded, in a manner well known in the art, by inserting carbonsheets 21 between the plies of web. The leading or front edges of said carbon-sheets are so positioned that they are somewhat in advance of the first printing line of the first form of the web. It will be understood that the web is usually printed with a succession of forms, according to which the typing on the web is done, the leading portion of each form usually having as substantial heading above the first typing line. The rear ends of the carbon-sheets are fastened in the usual manner to the usual carbon-holding blades 22. The blades are of such length that one end of each blade projects beyond the side edge of the web from between the corresponding plies in the usual manner wherein the projected ends extend alternately from opposite side edges of the web as shown in Figure 3. The projecting ends of the blades are attached by the usual means including dowels (not shown) to heads 23, which are secured to movable carbon carriers or strippers 24. As shown in my aforesaid co-pending applications, said carbon-strippers 24 are movable independently of one another, and for guiding said strippers along a path conforming to the direction in which the portion of the web between the rod 20 and the platen 11 is extended, there may be provided a pair of channeled guide-rails 25, best shown in Figure 3. In order that the carbon-strippers 24 may be retained by said guide-rails, the ends of each stripper have upturned cars 26 and 27, to the inner sides of which are fastened rollers 28, which fit the channels 30 of the guide-rails, as shown in Figures 2 and It is preferred that there shall be two of said rollers at one end of each carbon-stripper, and one roller at the other end in order to afford room for a maximum spread of rollers which may be effected by an alternating arrangement of said ends as shown in Figure The carbon-strippers may be retained laterally by making the rollers 28 or the heads of studs 29, on which said rollers are mounted, bear against the inner channel surfaces of the guide-rails. The carbon-holding blades are disposed in echelon arrangement, as seen in Figure 1, by making the height of the heads 23 accordingly. Vith the web wrapped around the platen, the end of the outermost carbon is fastened preferably to therearmost blade. As stated, the carbon-strippers 24 are individually movable, and they are to be retracted seriatim, beginning with the one having said rearmost blade. The lower ends of the guide-rails 25 may be supported by a bracket 31 fastened. to the rear rail of the letter-feeding carriage 15 by means of the usual screws 32 provided for attaching brackets of this nature. ,As will be seen in Figure 3, said bracket has a cross-bar 33, so located and formed that the lower ends of said guide-rails 25 may rest thereon. Suitable screws 34 fasten said lower ends of the guide-rails to said cross-bar.

At the completion of a full form-typing operation, the lower end of the first form stands a little below t-heprinting line at the point indicatedby the dash 36 intersecting the platen in Figure 1', and the composite web of work-plies and carbons stands looped around the platen. The leading ends of the web are set against the gage 37 wich may be adjusted up and down, upon and along a rearwardly-inclined work-shelf 38 having a slot 39 for this purpose. Said work-shelf is mounted at the delivery side of the platen 11. Said gage 37 and work-shelf 38 with their related parts as herein shown and described are substantially the same as shown in my aforementioned co-pend-i-ng application No. 40,741. The gage may be secured, when adjusted, by means including a thumbscrew 40. Upon the gage is provided a pair of clips 41, which may be forced down by means of a handle 42, to clamp the front corners of the web against the work-shelf 38. This handle is shown in its clamp-releasing position at Figure 1, and in clam-ping posi tion at Figures 6 and 7. Said handle is fixed upon a rock-shaft 43,having a flat 44, which, when the handle is swung. rearwardly, as shown in Figure 1, permits the spring-clips 41 to rise and free the work-web. When the typing of a form is fully completed, and the web positioned as shown at Figure 1, the

handle 42 is drawn forward, as shown in Fig the platen, to relieve the carbons of pressure.

After the feed-rolls havebeen released, the carbons may be retracted. The manner of releasing the feed-rolls will be described later on.

According to the invention, the carbonstrippers areto be retracted seri'atim by a single movement or sweep of the hand applied preferably to a suitable handle. Such a ban dle may be in the form of a crank 46 fastened to one end of a rotatable shaft 47, upon which may be mounted a series of cams 48 for retracting the carbon-strippersseriatim. Said. cams are preferably in the form of flat plates having hubs 48 whereby they are spaced along and fastened to the shaft 47 as shown in Figure 3, and there is one of said? cams for each carbon-stripper; (lo-operating with each cam is a follower-member, which is preferably in the form of a swingable' arm 49; In the illustrated form of the invention, there are four carbon-strippers 24,and consequently four cams and four follower-arms. The follower-arms may swing on a rod 50, and are each provided with a cam-rol l 51'. In order that the movements of the followerarms may be transmitted to the carbon-strippers to effect stripping'of the carbons, there are provided means which includefor each carbon-stripper a pair of retracting arms 52; For swinging the retracting arms backwardly, sothat they may'retra'ct the carbons, each pair of said arms'is mounted on a corresponding rock-shaft 53. The end portions of said arms engage their respectivecarbon-strippers at-projections 54 extending preferably from the ends of said strippers. The axisof each rock-shaft 53 is located with respect to its corresponding carbon-stripper in a plane that is midway between the limits of movement of saidstripper, and is perpendicular to the path of said movement. As shown in Figure 3, the retracting arms 52 are disposed in echelon arrangementso as not to interfere with one another and the lengths of the projections 54 are arranged accordingly. For

connecting the follower-arms 49 to the rockshafts 53, there is fastened to the left end of each rock-shaft an arm 55, and a wire link 56 connects said arm 55 and the correspond ing follower-arm 49. In order that the cams 48 may actuate their follower-arms seriatim, said cams are so formed and arranged that their rises 45 will engage their respective fol lower-arms seriatim, as indicated in Figure 1. For mounting'th'e cam-shaft 47 the-rocksha-fts 53, etc, there is provided at each end of the typewriter carriage a suitable fixture.

The fixture, generally indicated by the number 59, at the left end of the carriage, includes 4 a U-shaped portion consisting of a front 60,

an inner side 61 and an outer side 62, as shown in Figure 1. The cam-shaft 47 may be supported in suitable bearings formed in said inner and outer sides 61 and 62, respectively. Similarly the rod 50, on which are swung the follower-arms 49, may be supported by said sides in a manner to be immediately described. The outer fixture side may be extended rearwardly toward the rock-shafts to form bearings for one end of each of said rockshafts. For this purpose, the extension at the rear extremity of said side has an inwardly-bent portion 64, which is bent forwardly again to form a tab 65, in which may be formed bearing-holes for the left ends of the same rock-shafts 53. The inner surface of the inwardly-bent portion 64 forms a stop against which the arms may strike to limit the movement thereof, and consequently limit the movement of the retracting arms 52. In this manner the initial positions of said retracting arms are defined, and the carbon-strippers, when fully drawn towards the platen, touch the retracting arms in said initial positions, as shown in Figure 1. Each train of parts having a pair of retracting arms 52 at one end, and the corresponding follower-arm 49 at the other end, may be held in normal positions by means of a spring 67, of which there is one for each train and applied to the followerarm' 49 thereof. One end of each spring may be held by a cross-rod 68 fastened between the sides 61 and 62 of the fixture 59. Each cam 48 has a dwell or idle face 69, which terminates its rise and serves to limit the movement of the follower-arms. gaid dwell also serves to maintain the aforesaid train of parts stationary during the seriatim operation of the other trains. A further extension of the side 62 of the fixture 59 may be made to include an upwardly-extending spur 71 for supporting the left end of the cross-rod 20. Said cross-rod, which supports the web 19, may have the usual laterally-adjustable guides 7 2 for guiding said web.

In order that the feed-rolls 73, already referred to, may be automatically cast off from the platen preparatory to retracting the carbon-strippers, there may be provided for this purpose suitable means actuable by an ini tial movement of the crank 46. In the present form of the invention said means include an additional cam 74 that may be fastened to the shaft 47 on which the cams 48 are mounted. As already mentioned, the feed rolls may be cast off in known manner by rotating a flattened rod 75, which is embraced by arms 76 extending from rocker-cradles 77, in which the feed-rolls are mounted on opposite sides of a fulcrum-rod 78. l/Vhen said flattened rod 75 is rotated, said arms 76 are spread apart, causing the rocker-cradles 77 to rotate upon the fulcrum-rod 78 to withdraw the feed-rolls from the platen, as shown in Figure 6. V For rotating the rod 7 5 in this manner to cast off the feed-rolls by means of the feed-rolhreleasing cam 74, there may be provided to co-operate with the same cam a follower-arm 79, which may be pivoted upon the inner side 61 of the fixture 59 at 80. For transmitting the movement of said followerarm to the flattened rod 75, there may be provided on the end of said rod an arm 82 connected to said follower-arm 79 by an offset link 83. The rise 84 of the feed-roll-release cam is so proportioned and positioned that a small initial portion of the crank move ment is sufficient to cast off the feed-rolls as shown in Figure 6, which shows the crank 46 moved just far enough forward to effect said casting-off. At this moment, as shown in Figure 6, the rise 45 of the leading carhon-retracting cam is about to commence the displacement of the corresponding followerarm. A continued movement of the crank 46 completes said displacement to effect the re traction of the r-earmost carbon-stripper, as shown in Figure 7. As the forward movement of the crank 46 is further continued until it assumes a position indicated by'the dotted line 46, the other cams 48 engage their respective follower-arms seriatim and consequently the related carbon-strippers will be retracted seriatim. The initial position of the crank 46 in'Figures 6 and 7 is indicated by the dotted outline 46 After all the carbon-strippers have been retracted, the movement of the crank 46 and cams 48 and 74 is reversed, causing the retracting arms 52, under the influence of the springs 67 pulling on the follower-arms 49, to return to their aforesaid initial positions. During the final portion of the reverse crank movement, the feedroll-releasing cam 74 recedes from its follower-arm which under the pull of a spring 85 reassumes its normal position and thereby causes the re-engagement of the feed-rolls 73. The handle 42 of the web-cla1np device is then thrown rearwardly to the position indicated at Figure 1 to release the leading edge of the web. Said leading edge is then grasped and drawn against a gage 86, which positions the form so that it may be severed at the proper place by means of the usual web-severing knife 87, which is fastened at the lower edge of the delivery shelf 38, and adjacent the platen, as shown. in Figure l. The position of the web, with carbons fully retracted or stripped, as it is about to be severed, is shown in Figure 8. While the web is being severed, the feed-rolls 73, after the reversal of the crank 46, bear upon the web again and serve to hold it against the platen while the severing of the leading form therefrom is taking place. It will be understood that, as shown in Figure 8, the thickness of the web around the platen is exaggerated, as

has been stated, in order to show the position of the leading edges of the carbons when said carbons are fully retracted.

It will be seen that when the carbon-strippers are fully retracted and the retracting arms 52 have receded therefrom, said strippers are apt to gravitate or otherwise move down the inclined guides 25. It is desirable therefore to providefrictional holding means to prevent such movement of the carbonstrippers. form of flat springs 90, of which there may be one fastened to each end of each carbonstripper, as shown in Figure'2. Said springs 90 are so proportioned and secured to the carhon-stripper that they bear upon the under side of the adjacent guide-rail 25, and in this manner create sufficient friction to hold the carbon-strippers against undue movement down the inclined rails 25.

In order that the displacement of the follower-arms 49 resulting from the rotation of the cams 48 may be varied to vary the extent to which the carbon-strippers 24 are retracted, the relative positions of the rod 50 and cam-shaft 47 may be shifted so that the cam-roll 51 on each follower-arm approaches or recedes from the cams 48 within the limits of the throw of said cams. This is preferably done by shifting the rod 50, which, as al-' ready mentioned, is supported by the sides 61 and 62 of theleft-hand fixture 59, and, in order that said rod may be thus shifted, the ends thereof are supported in slots 92 formed in said sides 61 and 62. For shifting the rod there may be provided at each end thereof a spiral groove face cam, the one on the left being numbered 93, and the one on the right being numbered 94. The ends of the rod 50 are allowed to project outside through the slots 92, so that said ends may be engaged by the spiral cam-grooves 94 in said cams. The cams are connected torotat'e in unison by means of-a shaft 95 journaled' in the sides-61 and (32. One of the cams, preferably cam 94, may be provided with a knurled finger-surface 96 to facilitate the rotation of saidcams by the fingers of the operator. The outer surface of the left cam 93 may have'applied thereto a suitable index-device 97, which cooperates with-a fixed index 98 to indicate either directly or indirectly the extent of the carbon-stripper retraction for which the cams are For 'uiding the lower ends of the follower-arms 49, there may be provided a slotted member 99, fastened to the inner surface of the front of the left-hand fixture, having slots 100 which guide said lower ends.

The previously-mentioned paper-shelf 38 may be supported on the platen-frame by means of the usual standard 102' formed on said shelf at each end thereof. Said standards areattached to the ends 13 0f the platen- Said holdin means may be in the.

frame by means of the usual screws 103. Instead of being formed integral with said standards as shown, the shelf 38 may be hinged thereon as shown in my aforesaid c0- pending application No. 40,741.

As previously mentioned, the conditions of carbon and paper surface may be such that two or possibly more carbons may be retracted simultaneously without any appreciablesnubbing effect. In this case the cams 48 are rearranged so that the rises of as many cams coincide, when viewed endwise, as there. are carbons to be stripped or retracted simultaneously. For example, in the illustrated form of the invention, if the two outermost carbons are retracted simultaneously, then the cams 48 are set so that the rises 45 thereof, when viewed endwise, coincide. A perspective view of such an arrangeniient is indicated in Figure 9; Where the cams are to be adjustable in this manner the fastening means which secure the cams to the shaft 47 may be screws 104 as indicated in the same view, there being one screw for each cam. In cases where there are many varieties of work requiring varying extents of carbonshifting, and where the volume of each variety isv sufficiently large to warrant it, there may be provided interchangeable cams. For example, in .a certain variety of work in which the carbons are retracted a relatively short distance, the rise 45 of each cam could be proportioned accordingly, so that every portion of the stroke of the crank 46 would be used in retracting: the carbons. In this case the follower-arms 49 would be adjustable for a corresponding displacement by means of the cams 93 and 94. r

The initial positions. of the crank 46 and the cams 48 and 74 may be determined by means of a suitably located cross-rod 57 supportedbeti e-en the sides 61 and 620f the lefthand fixture 59. When in said positions an edge 113 of the cams 48 may stop against said cross-rod '57. provided and applied to reversely rotate said cams and crank and may be wound around the hub of the feed-roll-r-eleasing cam 7 4 with one end of saidspring reacting against said cam,,and theother end reacting against a pin 114 driven intothe side 61 of the fixture, as shown in Figure 3.

For supporting and forming bearings for the right ends of the rock-shafts 53 and cross-rod 20, there is provided at the right end of the carriage a fixture 106, a side view of which presents an outline similar to the rearward portion of the fixture 59 with its upward spur or extension 71, located at the left of the typewriter-carriage. Each of said fixtures 59 and 106 may be secured to the cross-bar 33 and the bracket 31 that is fastened tothe letter-feeding carriage 15. For this purpose the left-hand fixture 59 has bent therefrom a tab 107 and the right-hand fix.-

A torsion spring 112 may be ture has bent therefrom a tab 108. Said tabs are attached to said cross-bar 33 by means of screws 109.

The left-hand fixture may be further supported at itsaforesaid U-SllZtPQd portion by means of an extension 110 from the side 61 thereof, said extension being fastened to the left side bar 111 of the carriage 15 as shown in Figure 1.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improven'ients may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: i

1. In a multiple-ply webananifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a set of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons attached to the strippers and arranged to be interleaved with the work-plies at the introductory side of the platen and be fed therewith around said platen, and a carbon-stripping handle operatively associated with said strippers to move the same seriatim. during operation thereof to shift the carbons into manifolding relation with a succeeding section of the web.

2. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typcwriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons attached thereto and arranged to be interleaved with the work-plies at the introductory side of the platen, said strippers being movable singly or in groups of more than one to strip the carbons, a carbon-stripping handle, and means connected to said handle and operable by a single movement thereof, to move single strippers or groups of strippers seriatim to strip said carbons.

3. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carhon-strippers individual to superposed carbons and ranged at the intake side of the platen, guideways to guide said strippers toward or away from the platen between the plies of the work-web, said strippers being movable along said guideways singly or in groups of more than one, a carbon-stripping handle, and means, connected to said handle and operable by a single movement thereof, to move single strippers or groups of strippers seriatim to strip the carbons.

4-. In a multiple-ply web manifolding 'typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon strippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, and means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a multiplicity of rock-shafts, one for each stripper, and a multiplicity of pairs of arms, one pair being fastened to each rock-shaft for moving the corresponding stripper in parallelism to strip a carbon.

5. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a'platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, and means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a multiplicity of pairs ofarms, one pair for each stripper, the arms of each pair being connected together and mounted to move the corresponding stripper in parallelism to strip a carbon.

6. In a multiple-ply 'web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carhon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, and means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a multiplicity of pairs of arms, one pair for each stripper, the arms of each pair being connected together and mounted to swing on an. axis and thereby move the corresponding stripper in parallelism to strip a carbon, said arms engaging said strippers in such a manner that when said strippers have been moved to strip the carbons said arms may be retracted from said strippers and swung back to their initial positions.

7.111 a multiple-ply Web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with 1 a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a series of cam-elements, members co-operating with said elements to effect a relative displacement of said elements and said members, said elements and said members being formed and arranged so that said relative displacement of corresponding cam-elements and memhers is effective seriatim, and means whereby saidseriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons.

8. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of amultiplicity of carhon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, said stripers being individually movable, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a series of cam-elements, members co-operating with said elements to effect a relative displacement of said elements and said members, said elements and said members being formed and arranged so that said relative displacement of corresponding cam-elements and members is effected seriatim, means whereby said seriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons, and a handle or its equivalent operable to efiect the co-operation of said cam-elements and members.

9. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a series of came-elements, members co-operating with said elements to effect a relative displacement of said elements and said members, said elements and said-members being formed and arranged so that said relative displacement of corresponding cam-elements and members is effective seriatim, means whereby said seriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons, and means whereby the extent of said relative displacement may be varied and set for determining the extent of the stripping movement of the strippers.

10. In a multiple-ply 7 web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with we a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a rotatable shaft, a series of members on said shaft, elements displaceable by said members in the rotation thereof, said elements and said members being formed and arranged so that said displacement is effected seriatim, and means whereby said seriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons.

11. In a multiple-ply web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a set of carbon-strippers serially arranged in permanent sequence and individual to superposed carbons attached to the strippers and arranged to both be interleaved with the plies of a work-web and be fed therewith around said platen while drawing said strippers toward said platen, a carbon-stripping" handle, rock-arms engageable with said carbon-strippers to move the same away from said platen, motion-transmitting means operatively associated with said handle and said arms, and timing elements interposed between said handle and said arms to control the extent and relative timing of the actuation of said arms by said handle through said motion-transmitting means.

12. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers individual to superposed carbons,

said strippers being individually movable,

means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a. rotatable shaft, a series of members on said shaft, ele- 'ments displaceable by said members in the rotation thereof, said elements and said members being formed and arranged so that said displacement is effected seriatim, means whereby said seriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons, and means whereby the extent of said relative displacement may be varied and set for determining the extent of the stripping movement of the strippers.

13. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers individual to superposed carbons, said strippers being individually movable, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons, said means including a rotatable shaft, a series of members on said shaft, a rod, elements swingable on said rod and displaceable by said members in a rotation of said members, said members and elements being formed and arranged so that said displacement is effected seriatim, meanswhereby said seriatim displacement causes said strippers to be moved seriatim to strip the carbons, and means whereby the relative positions of said shaft and rod may be varied and set for determining the extent of the stripping movement of the strippers.

14. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons seriatim, said means including two rods, one of which is rotatable, co-operating elements on each of said rods, said 00- f operating elements being relatively displaceable in seriatim order to move said carbonstrippers seriatim and strip said carbons by a rotation of the one rod, and means whereby the relative positions of said rods may be altered to vary and set the extent of said dis placement for determining the extent of the stripping movement of said carbons.

15. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippersindividual to superposed carbons, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons seriatim, said means including two rods, one of which is rotatable, co-operating elements on each of said rods, said co-opcrating elements being relatively displaceable in. seriatim order to move said carbonstrippers seriatim and strip said carbons by the rotation of the one rod, one of said rods being shiftable to vary its position with, respect to the other and thereby determine the extent of said displaceemnt and consequently the extent of the stripping movement to strip the carbons, and means including a cam-device for controlling the shifting of said shiftable rod and hold said rod in any position to which it may be shifted.

16. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbon strippers individual to superposed carbons, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons seriatim, said means including two rods, one of which is rotatable, co-operating elements on each of said rods, said co-operating elements being relatively displaceable in seriatim order to move said caiboirstrippers seriatim and strip said carbons by the rotation of the one rod, one of said rods being shiftable to vary its position with respect to the other and thereby determine the extent of said displacement and consequently the extent of the stripping movement to strip the carbons, and cams engaging the end portions of said last-mentioned rod for controlling the shifting thereof.

17. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a )laten and types, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons seriatim, said means including two rods, one of which is rotatable, co-operating elements on each of said rods, said co-operating elements being relatively displaceable in seriatim order to move said carbon-strippers seriatim and strip said carbons by the rotation of the one rod, the end portions of one of said rods being supported in guiding means and shiftable therealong to determine the extent of displacement of said co-operating elements, and rotatable cams engaging said end portions for controlling the shifting of said rod and for holding, in conjunction with said guiding means, said rod in any poition to which it may be shifted.

18. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers individual to superposed carbons, means for moving the strippers to strip the carbons seriatim, said means including two rods, one of which is rotatable, cooperating elements on each of said. rods, said co-operating elements being relatively displaceable in seriatim order to move said carbon-strippers seriatim and strip said carbons by the rotation of the one rod, the end portions of one of said rods being supported in guiding means and shiftable therealong to determine the extent of displacement of said co-operating elements, two similar rotatable cams engaging said end portions for controlling the shifting of said rod, and means for rotating said two cams in unison.

19, In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of carbon-stripping means including two rotatable cams for adjusting the extent to which the carbons are stripped, one of said cams having a finger-surface to facilitate its manipulation and the other cam r; .i i

having an indexed surface co-operatmg with a fixed index to indicate the extent of carbon stripping for which said cams are set.

' 20. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, paper-feed-rolls bearing on said platen, and types of carbon-stripping means, and means whereby, when said carbon-stripping means are caused to be actuated, said feed-rolls are automatically cast off said platen before the carbon-stripping commences.

21. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, paper-feed-rolls normally bearing on said platen, and types, of carbon-stripping means, and means whereby, when said car-' hon-stripping means are caused to be actuated, said feed-rolls are automatically cast olf said platen before the carbon-stripping commences and automatically brought to bear upon said platen again after said stripping is completed.

22. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, paper-feeding means, and types, of carbon-stripping means, and means whereby, when said carbon-stripping means are caused to be actuated, said paper-feeding means are automatically disengaged.

23. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, paper-feeding means including feeding elements normally bearing on said platen, and types, of carbon-stripping means including a rotatable shaft for operating said carbon-stripping means, a cam on said shaft, and means controlled by said cam and connected to said paper-feeding means whereby in the rotation of said shaft said paper-feeding elements are automatically disengaged before carbon-stripping commences and automatically re-engaged when said carbon-stripping is completed.

24. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, paper-feeding means including feeding elements normally bearing on said platen, and types, of carbon-stripping means includ ing a rotatable shaft for operating said carbon-stripping means, a shiftably-mounted member connected to said paper-feeding means, and means on said shaft effective in a rotation thereof to shift said member and thereby control said paper-feeding means, so that said feeding elements are automatically disengaged before carbon-stripping commences and automatically re-engaged when said carbon-stripping is completed.

25. In a multiple-ply Web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippersindividually movable along guiding means toward and away from the platen, each of said strippers having two spread-apart rolls at one end thereof, and a single roll at the other end thereof, said rolls co-operating with said guiding means to guide said strippers, said double roll-ends and single rollends being alternately disposed along said guiding means.

26. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers, a reciprocating handle, and means operated by an advance stroke of said handle to actuate said carbon-strippers seriatim to strip said carbons, a retracting stroke of said handle being effective to retract said stripperactuating means, a. spring-device whereby said retracting stroke is effected, and a stop for limiting said stroke.

27. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen over which the web is fed, of a set of carbon-strippers individual to superposed carbons which are arranged to be interleaved with the work-plies about the platen and movable independently of one another, said strippers arranged one serially after the other in single file, the forward stripper connected to the inner carbon and the rearmost stripper connected to the outer carbon, and manuallycontrolled means including a carbon-stripping handle for retracting said strippers seriatim during a single movement of said handle by the operator.

28. In a multiple-ply web manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a multiplicity of carbonstrippers individually movable, means for moving said strippers so as to strip the carbons, including a series of cams for timing the stripping of the carbons, one cam for each carbon-stripper, said cams being adjustable relatively one to the other, so that said carbonstrippers may be actuated seriatim in groups of two or more strip ers.

29. In a multip e-ply web-manifolding typewrit-ing machine, the combination with a platen and types, of a. set of carbon-strippers aligned in permanent sequence and individual to superposed carbons which are attached to the strippers and arranged to be interleaved with the plies of a work-web and be fed therewith around said platen while drawing said strippers toward said platen, a carbonstripping handle operatively associated with said strippers to move the same seriatim away from said platen during operation in order to shift the carbons into manifolding relation with a succeeding section of the web, and timing elements interposed between said carbonstripping handle and said strippers to control the extent and relative timing of the stripping of said carbons, said timing elements being adjustable to alter the timing and grouping of the stripping operations.

30. In a multiple-ply web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and typing instrumentalities, of a plurality of distinct carbon-strippers mounted so as to be movable toward and away from the platen, saidstrippers having carbons at tached thereto and arranged to be interleaved with the plies of the work-web about the platen, means operable during a continuous movement thereof to move said strippers seriatim to strip said carbons one by one and retain said strippers in attained position, and

positive inflexible motion-transmitting connections between said operating means and said strippers.

31. In a multiple-ply web-manifolding typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and typing instrumentalities, of a plurality of distinct and independently-movable carbon-strippers mounted so as to be movable toward and away from the platen, said strippers having carbons attached thereto which are arranged to be interleaved with the plies of the work-web about the platen, a manually-operated control means operable by a single movement thereof to move said strippers seriatimto strip said carbons and to retain each stripper in attained position after moving the same, and positive connections between said manual control means and said strippers affording complete control of the movement of said strippers through operation of said control means.

32. In a typewriting machine, the combination with types and with a revoluble platen, of a multiplicity of carbon-strippers individual to carbons interleaved between the plies,

a multiple-ply web, the carbons being attached to the carbon-strippers and arranged to be interleaved with the work-plies, a carbon-stripping handle, and means connected to said handle to move said strippers seriatim while the platen is in typing position to strip the carbons one after another, beginning with the outermost carbon and completing the stripping of each carbon before beginning the stripping of the next.

BURNHAM C. STICKNEY. 

